About Me
I am a PhD researcher in environmental sciences focusing on human-wildlife interactions in highly visited protected areas. My research explores how different forms of human recreation influence spatiotemporal behaviour of wildlife, combining large-scale camera trap data with statistical modelling and human-tracking data sources such as social media-derived recreation data. Outside of my research, I am happiest when I can spend time outdoors and with friends. I enjoy hiking, camping, fishing, eating nice food, and simply going on adventures and exploring new places.
Research Interests
- Human-wildlife interactions
- Recreation ecology
- Spatiotemporal data analysis
- Camera trap and human-tracking data
- Statistical modelling
Highlighted Publications
- Kuypers, W., Bollen, M., Casaer, J., & Beenaerts, N. (2025). Trapped by trails: How different types of recreational trails influence seasonal space use of wildlife in a densely visited national park. Science of the Total Environment, 996, 180091. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2025.180091
Collaborators, Partners & Funders
- Hasselt University: host institution - Centre for Environmental Sciences, supervisor: Prof. Dr. Natalie Beenaerts
- University of Namur: host institution, supervisor: Prof. Dr. Nicolas Dendoncker
- INBO (Research Institute for Nature and Forest): co-supervisor: Dr. ir. Jim Casaer